Impregnating roller



Aug. 16, 1960 FIG.

W. T. HARRIS IMPREGNATING ROLLER Filed NOV. 27. 1956 lNvEN'roR W/LBI/ 7T HARP/5 'idw W ATTORNEYS United States Patent C IMPREGNATIN G ROLLER Wilbur T. Harris, Southbury, Conn., assiguor to The Harris Transducer Corporation, Woodbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 624,657

13 Claims. (Cl. 117-93) My invention relates to a roller of the type used in conveying filaments, yarn or fabric through a bath, as in textile dipping opera-tions and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide au improved device of the character indicated.

It is 'another object to provide an improved roller construction incorporating means for physically promoting action between the material passing over the roller and the liquid in the bath within which the roller is immersed.

It is a specific object to meet the above objects with a roller incorporating electroacoustic means for continuously and uniformly exciting the outer surface of the roller.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be point-ed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a simplified view in end elevation showing a roller to which my invention is applied and illustrating the `manner of use of the roller;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a roller of my invention; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly broken-away and sectioned on a longitudinal section to illustrate a transducer element within the roller of Fig. 2.

Briefly stated, my invention contemplates an improved roller construction incorporating electroacoustic transducer means as an integral part thereof. The transducer may be of the radially strictive variety so that uniform radial expansion and contraction can characterize the entire outer cylindrical surface of the roller, and at least that part of the periphery which is used for the support of yarn, fabric or the like, as when employed in textile processing; for convenience, reference to fabric in this application will be understood to apply also to yarn, thread, filament, and other woven and uuwoven materials as may be conveyed by my roller for liquid-immersed processing. When immersed in a ba-th, whether the roller is partially or totally immersed, fabric conveyed by the roller into the immersion bath may be subjected to strong acoustic excitation, and marked improvement is noted in the degree to which the active ingredients of the liquid may be caused to penetrate or take up in the fabric.

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to a roller mounted for continuous rotation on spaced shaft hangers 11-12, as for partial immersion in a bath containing a liquid 13 for the conduct of a textile or other processing step. The liquid 13 may, for example, be a starch (size) or a dye solution. Guide rollers 14-15 may conduct fabric 16 into and out of the bath and maintain the same tightly Wrapped around the immersed part of the roller V10. A further roller 17 cooperates with the roller 15 to provide a feed mechanism which may be continuously driven by means not shown.

In accordance with the invention, I employ radially st-rictive electroacoustic transducer means as an integral part of the transducer roller 1t), and in the form shown, such -transducer means comprises a plurality of like cylindrical transducer elements 18 in end-to-end relation and electrically interconnected. The transducer elements may be cast piezoelectric ceramic cylinders (such as barium titanate or lead zirconate), but, in the form shown, they are of the toroidally wound magnetostrictive Variety. Each element may employ a magnetostrictive ferrite core, but in Fig. 3 I illustrate the use of laminated sheet material 19 for the core. The laminations may be developed as a single spiral of thin magnetostrictive sheet material, such as vanadium permendur or nickel. lPro tective insulating end caps 20 of a fibrous material are shown applied `to the ends of the core '19, and a toroidal winding 21 is developed around the core 19 and caps 20.

ln the form shown, the transducer is plastipotted within a metallic sheath 22, which may be a thin stainless-steel cylinder. The outer surface of cylinder 22 may be provided with a plurality of axially adjacent shallow peripherally extending grooves, as for guiding separate strands or filaments, but in the form shown this outer surface is smooth. Cylinder 22 is shown secured at its ends to bearing hubs 23-24 incorporating means for continuous idling about the cylinder axis and for suspension in the hangers 11-12. The transducer is preferably intimately potted with sound-transmitting material, such as an epoxy resin, bonded to the inner wall of the cylinder 22 and fully encasing all transducer elements 18.

In fabricating the transducer assembly, I assemble the individual transducer elements in cylindrical form in a hollow plastic casting by using inner and outer thinwalled concentric phenolic cylinders (not shown) for pre-casting assembly. After the transducer elements and these thin cylinders .are cast into an integral cylindrical plastic-bonded solid assembly, the resulting assembly is then cast and bonded to the inner wall of the metallic cylinder 22. In order that the transducer may radiate primarily radially outwardly and into the liquid 13, I provide -a pressure-release regio-n i-nternally of the assembly and for this purpose employ barriers 25--26 bonded to the ends of the transducer assembly and defining a sealed air or other gas-filled internal region. As indicated above, potting compound is preferably a sound-transmitting material, such as an epoxy resin, and the sectioning in Fig. 2 shows the potting as, in eiect, a single homogeneous volume, although, as explained above, several discrete castings and layers are developed, in intimately contacted relation.

Electrical connections to the transducer may be provided at one of the shaft hangers 11 and conducted through the bearing in lhub 24, and for this purpose, a slip-ring assembly 27 is shown. Specifically, the slip rings 27 are formed on the end of a stub shaft 2S having a flange 2.9 secured to the hanger 11. O-ring seals B0 serve to keep the liquid in the bath from entering the slip-ring region. Slip-ring brushes are carried by a suitable mount 31 supported by a part of the hub 24. To complete the assembly, further O-rings 32-34 are ernployed to seal the `fit of the hubs 23-24 to the ends of the cylinder 22.

In use, the roller 22 acts merely 4as a-n idler, continuously bringing the fabric 16 into the bath 13. When the transducer is energized at the desired frequency (by a suitable A.C. power source, not shown, connected to the slip-ring leads), the full width of the immersed portion of fabric 16 may be strongly excited, with uniformity extending the full length of the roller and for a continuous and substantial arc about ythe roller axis. threads or fibers of the fabric are conveyed or supported directly on the surface of the transducer and are uniformly subjected to the maximum available intensity of pressure fluctuations. Marked improvement in penetration of the ber mass by the liquid 113 is effected. This means that for any given process, superior treated fabric may be developed, or the process may be speeded up to yield equivalent quality material in very :rn-uch reduced time.

While I have described the invention in detail for the preferred forms illustrated, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow.

l claim:

1. I-n combination, a roller, comprising an elongated continuously cylindrical radially vibratile electromechani- The cal transducer, and means for supporting said roller for rotation about its axis.

2. In combination, a roller, comprising an elongated continuously cylindrical electro-acoustic transducer, mea-ns for supporting said roller for continuous rotation about its axis, said last-defined means including lead-in-supply means for exciting said transducer.

3. In combination, a roller comprising an elongated cylindrical relatively thin metallic shell, electromechanical transducer means within said shell, a potting of sound-transmitting material intimately bonded to said transducer Imeans and to the inner wall of said shell, said transducer means lbeiug in circumfereutially continuous radially vibratile driving relation with said shell, and means for supporting said shell for -rotation about the axis thereof.

4. In combination, a plurality of radially strictive cylindrical yelectro-acoustic transducer elements oriented in end-to-end adjacency .about the same axis, a potting of sound-transmitting material intimately bonded to all said elements and defining a single elongated cylinder, means closing the ends of said cylinder so as to dene a sealed inner pressure-release volume, and means for supporting said cylinder for continous rotation about its axis.

5. In combination, a roller, comprising a relatively thin metallic cylinder, bearing hubs secured -to and closing the ends of said cylinder, means for rotationally suplporting said roller at said hubs, radially vibratile cylindrical electroacofustic transducer means fully contained within said cylinder, and sound-transmitting potting means intimately bonding said transducer to the inner wall of said cylinder.

6. A device according to claim 5, in which said transducer comprises a plurality of like transducer means elements mounted in end-to-end :adjacency about the axis of rotation.

means for connecting said transducer to an external source of supply.

8. A device according to claim 5, in which said transducer means includes a toroidally wound magnetostrictive element.

9. In combination, an elongated cylindrical roller and two iixedly spaced shaft mountings supporting said roller for rotation about its axis, said roller having a relatively thin lelongated outer wall, and radially striotive cylindrical electroacoustic transducer means coaxially con-tained Within said wall and effectively axially coextensive therewith, said transducer means being in intimate sound-transmitting relation with the inner wall of said cylinder.

10. A Adevice according to claim 9, in which one of said shaft mountings includes electrical supply connections to said transducer.

11. :In combination, a hath containing a liquid, and a roller mounted for rotation on a generally horizontal axis and at least partially immersed in said liquid, said roller including a circumferentially continuously radially vibratile electroacoustic transducer, sound-transmitting means in intimate circumferentially continuous contact with the radially outer part of said transducer, and mean for electrically exciting said transducer.

1:2. In combination, a bath containing la liquid, a processing roller mounted for rotation on a generally horizontal .axis and at least partially immersed in said liquid, said roller including a radially vibratile electroacoustic transducer, sound-transmitting means in intimate circumferentially continuous Contact with the radially outer part of said transducer, and means for electrically exciting said transducer, said transducer being substantially axially coextensive with said roller, for the effective immersed length thereof, and guide and yfeed means external to said bath and adapted to continuously guide and feed a web of material to be processed around an immersed part of said roller.

13. The method of processing a continuous web of material with a `roller having an acoustically transparent periphery, which comprises continuously immersing at least a portion of the periphery of the roller in a processing liquid, continuously immersing the web i-n said liquid, passing the immersed portion of the web over the irnmersed portion of the roller and in direct contact therewith, and directly electroacoustically exciting said portion of the periphery in a direction that is generally radial with respect to the roller axis.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,318,740 Fessender Oct. 14, `1919 1,985,839 Rutkoskie Dec. 25, 1934 2,657,668 Maier Nov. 3, 11953 2,694,307 Henry Nov. 16, 1954 2,695,478 Comstock et al. Nov. 30, 1954 

13. THE METHOD OF PROCESSING A CONTINUOUS WEB OF MATERIAL WITH A ROLLER HAVING AN ACOUSTICALLY TRANSPARENT PERIPHEY, WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY IMMERSING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE ROLLER IN A PROCESSING LIQUID, CONTINUOUSLY IMMERSING THE WEB IN SAID LIQUID, PASSING THE IMMERSED PORTION OF THE WEB OVER THE IMMERSED PORTION OF THE ROLLER AND IN CONTACT THEREWITH, AND DIRECTLY ELECTROACOUSTICALLY EXCITING SAID PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY IN A DIRECTION THAT IS GENERALLY RADIAL WITH RESPECT TO THE ROLLER AXIS. 